Relationship between Lower Extremity Muscle Mass, Leg Extension Strength and Muscle Power of Hemiplegic Stroke Patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lower extremity muscle mass, leg extension strength and muscle power of hemiplegic stroke patients and to examine the differences in walking independence levels (dependent and independent groups) between each variable. [Subjects] The subjects were 21 hemiplegic patients at the first onset. [Methods] The affected and unaffected thigh muscle mass (TM), lower leg muscle mass, and lower extremity muscle mass (LEM) were measured by segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis. The leg extension peak torque (LEPT) and mean power (MP) were measured using a recumbent ergometer. Values obtained by dividing the affected and unaffected LEPTs by each LEM (LEPT/LEM) and the MP by total LEM (TLEM) of the affected and unaffected lower extremities (MP/TLEM) were calculated. [Results] The affected TM was significant lower than the unaffected side. The affected and unaffected TM was significantly correlated with the LEPT of each side. The affected TM, affected and unaffected LEPT, LEPT/LEM, MP and MP/TLEM of the dependent group were significantly lower than their respective values in the independent group. [Conclusion] These results suggest that a decrease in muscle mass in hemiplegic patients decreases anaerobic exercise capacity through weaker leg extension strength or muscle power.